Details on the new Williamson County budget, tax rate

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Earlier this week, the Williamson County Commissioners Court approved the county's budget for fiscal year 2024-25 and set a new county tax rate.

The commissioners court on Tuesday unanimously voted on the budget and tax rate.

The total county budget for October 2024 through September 2025 was approved for $635,129,938 and includes the general fund, road and bridge fund and debt service fund. 

The adopted FY25 budget will be available for residents to review online and in the County Clerk’s Office no later than Sept. 30, 2024. A hard copy of the adopted budget will be available at the County Clerk’s Office in the Justice Center located at 405 Martin Luther King Jr. St., Georgetown.

General Fund budget

The county said the adopted general fund budget is $361,223,296. 

According to a release from the county, Williamson County is the 10th fastest-growing county in the country. To help meet the needs of the growing population, officials said 42 new full-time positions were added to the budget, plus three part-time positions were moved to full-time. Most of those positions were added under general government roles, including a county administrator, four death inquest specialists and additional employees for the offices of Tax Assessor/Collector, Elections, Technology Services and Facilities Management offices, according to the county.

The general fund budget also includes $18,028,225 for the purchase of a 70,000-square-foot building on 28 acres in western Williamson County, which is being purchased through the tax levy instead of incurring debt. The location of the building is "strategic for current and future needs of the county," the release said.

Other additions approved in the general fund budget include the following:

• 3% cost-of-living increase and a 3% merit bump for civilian employees
• Law Enforcement and Corrections will receive a 3% cost-of-living increase and step increases to their salary charts of between 2% and 2.5%
• Equipment upgrades for law enforcement and corrections officers, including tasers and body-worn cameras
• $28.3 million for capital improvements and the county’s Long Range Transportation Plan

Road and Bridge Fund budget

The adopted FY25 road and bridge fund budget is $73,153,507. It includes the following:

• $22 million for capital improvements
• $5 million for the Long-Range Transportation Plan
• 3% cost-of-living increase, a 3% merit increase for employees, and seven new full-time employees

Debt Service Fund budget

The adopted FY25 debt service fund budget is $200,753,135 and includes $20 million for debt defeasance to pay down debt early, according to the commissioners court.

Tax rate

The total county tax rate for tax year 2024 is 39.9999 cents per $100 valuation which the commissioners said is below the voter-approval rate. This rate will increase annual property taxes on the average homestead residence by approximately $191.45.